[This is the text of a Spanish website, translated into English, that speaks directly to Spanish women and girls and others who want to have an abortion and tells them what they need to know and do.]
What should I do if I want to have an abortion in the public system? Is abortion free? What happens if I don’t have a health card? Until when can I have an abortion? And if I’m under 16?
You should obtain information on how to access both public (free) and private abortion in your autonomous community by clicking on the interactive map on the website. This map is constantly being built. The information collected does not, under any circumstances, replace what you may be offered by the public health services in your autonomous community.
What you should know about how and where to have an abortion
In Spain, abortion is a recognised right and the Public Health Services guarantee it by providing users with access to this healthcare service in a safe and free manner.
If your pregnancy is less than 14 weeks gestation (calculated from the first day of your last period) you can terminate it of your own free will without having to justify the reasons.
If your pregnancy is more than 14 weeks along, you can express your desire to terminate it for health reasons and your request will be assessed by a professional.
If your pregnancy is more than 22 weeks gestation and the fetus has an extremely serious illness or abnormality incompatible with life, you will need a medical opinion prepared by a clinical committee confirming these pathologies and their severity.
In most autonomous communities in Spain, if you are less than 7 or 9 weeks pregnant (depending on the case) and there are no medical contraindications, you can choose between two methods of terminating your pregnancy: pharmacological and surgical or instrumental. If you are more than 7-9 weeks pregnant, in most regions you can only choose the surgical or instrumental method
Both methods are safe according to medical and WHO standards as long as they are supervised by trained health personnel, using recommended methods appropriate to the level of gestation.
Abortion is free
Abortion is free and is covered by the public health system. In the steps section, we explain how to access it so that it does not cost you anything. This service is also offered privately in clinics accredited to do so. The fees can range from €350 to €2,200 depending on the method and the weeks of pregnancy.
Please note that each community has its own specificities, so it is advisable to review the specific circuit of your autonomous community on the interactive map. [Each local area of Spain as marked with the yellow circle then has a page with its local details.]
SOURCE: Quiero Abortar
The Association of Sexual and Reproductive Rights is an interdisciplinary non-governmental entity formed by people interested in the promotion and defense of sexual and reproductive rights… The website has been technically and scientifically reviewed by accredited professionals and experts in the health field… Last updated October 2024.
[This is an excellent example of a website that speaks directly to those who want to have an abortion in clear, simple language, starting from the beginning, where to find help, what will happen during the abortion and what happens afterwards. It also offers help if requested. Editor]